Victoria Marie (Woods) Garcia

Victoria Marie Woods Garcia, a vibrant woman, loving mother, dedicated military spouse and beloved sibling, passed away on April 21, 2025 in Stamford, CT. Affectionately known by her friends as Vicki, Victoria loved her name. She lived by the motto "above all - do no harm." Vicki was born in New York City on July 22, 1941, the second of Agnes Beaney and John Raymond Woods' seven children. She met her husband, Charles Garcia, in first grade at St. Gregory the Great in 1947, went to Cathedral High School in New York and married on September 1, 1962. Vicki was a dedicated Air Force spouse for 12 years on active duty, and an additional 16 years during which her husband served in the Connecticut Air National Guard. During her family's period of military service, Vicki put her compassion to work, volunteering at several military hospitals, where she supported children. The Garcias had four children; their second, Stephanie Marie, passed away at birth in 1965.

The Garcia family moved to Bloomfield, CT in March of 1974. Vicki was devoted to bettering herself through education and earned her bachelor of arts and master of business administration degrees at the University of Hartford. She'd often say, "growth is in the classroom." Vicki used her financial skills while working in investor relations at manufacturing company Olin and industrial products firm Crane Company. She loved business strategy and problem solving, and enjoyed her work supporting management.

Vicki was dedicated to her family and friends, and a presence in each room she entered. She was an intuitive person who knew when to listen, when to speak, and when to proffer advice that was on point, sensitive, and caring. Vicki was also independent and strong in her personal convictions. She had a point of view and wasn't afraid to share it. During and after her business career, she was an excellent instructor, offering a course she developed on "Marketing Yourself". Vicki also became involved in community outreach as a personal counselor. It would be impossible to guess the number of people whom she helped during her lifetime.

Vicki was happiest when she was near the ocean. One of her favorite places in the world was Douses Beach on Cape Cod. During her years at CraneCo, Vicki was introduced to the Norwalk Yacht Club, where she met and sailed with many new friends. She became an avid sailor and took family and friends on jaunts to many locations through Womanship, a unique sailing experience. "The Club," where she looked out at the water, sailboats and sunsets, was the place she felt most at peace.

Vicki's other favorite place was in the kitchen. She was a gourmet cook and loved all things culinary. She was the perfect party host with precise attention to detail and preparation. Alongside her husband, she cooked for and hosted many social events for military allied officers from around the world.

Vicki was resilient. She lived with psoriatic arthritis for many years and recuperated from three major operations, keeping a full social life and relishing time with family and friends all the while.

Vicki leaves behind her husband of 62 years, Charles Garcia, and their children Christopher, Jennifer (Ted Hansen), and Kevin (Elizabeth Garcia); surviving siblings Joan Sumner, Gregory Woods, and Mary Barone; four grandchildren (Stephanie, Kristin, Jack, and Charlie), whom she loved deeply, many nieces and nephews, and dedicated friends, whom she loved and cherished across the breadth of her life.

A Celebration of Vicki's life will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2025 in Stamford, CT. Please reach out to a family member for details. Her ashes will be scattered in her beloved ocean during a private ceremony several days later. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite charity in Victoria's name.